


Stars in Our Hearts

by Tish



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-09 21:35:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15276666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tish/pseuds/Tish
Summary: Where we come from, where we're going, the stars will guide us.





	Stars in Our Hearts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [raktajinos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/raktajinos/gifts).



Joann smoothed the threadwork up, the beads tight and perfectly in place. The glass beads contained a fiber optic segment that reflected the light as she ran a finger along the completed section. They stood out among the opaque beads as the overall image started to appear in her work.

Joann gave a small smile of satisfaction as Keyla sat down next to her and leaned over to see.

“Progress! It's amazing what a few threads, a box of beads and some imagination can do,” said Keyla as she turned her attention to the schematic on the pad by Joann's knee. “The next bit looks tricky.”

“Skill, experience, a bit of patience, and some time will take care of that,” Joann replied as she selected another shimmering glass bauble.

“Sounds like my grandmother talking,” Keyla's eyes brightened at the memories.

“I think every species has grandmothers who sound like that, it's hardwired into the DNA,” Joann softly chuckled as she clinked some beads together in the palm of her hand.

“It's true, though. My grandmother taught me how to navigate our little boat by the stars, how to know when the weather would change and how to handle it.” Keyla lost herself in her memories for a moment.

“My grandmother taught me the star lore of our ancestors, and how we used to remember them using art. When to plant, when the rains would come, all written in the stars.” Joann quickly finished another line of beads and clicked the bead box shut as Sylvia set some drinks down.

“Hi, how's everything?” Tilly carefully put the drinks on the table, then sat down, tipping the box of beads over. “Oh, no!”

“No harm done,” Joann said with a light laugh as she picked up the box.

“That's just like me to do that, isn't it? Four million multi-colored beads just exploding all over the floor,” Sylvia laughed nervously. “Chaotic clumsiness as an art movement.”

Joann beamed at her, making flicking motions with her hands. “What a great idea! Get seven buckets of paint and Jackson Pollock that canvas!”

“Pour glue over paper and then toss glitter and beads on it,” Keyla added excitedly.

Shaking with mirth, Sylvia shook her head. “We did that in junior school. Mom pinned up the results next to the replicator panel.”

“Creativity knows no bounds,” Joann said as she raise her glass.

“To art!” Keyla toasted her friends.

“To cleaning up the mess afterwards,” Sylvia clinked her glass to the others.

 

“You're dreaming about me again, aren't you?”

Joann turned at the voice and gave the woman a hug. “Nanna Naomi, it seems my subconscious can't get enough of you.”

“You've picked a lovely and familiar spot, and I'm young. You're dreaming about that disastrous vacation I always talk about?” Naomi groaned, drawing a hand across her face melodramatically.

“You tell it so well, Nanna. Come on, let's walk along the dream beach,” Joann said as she took Naomi's hand.

“You and your lucid dreaming,” Naomi laughed.

They strolled for a while in silence, finally stopping at the lookout spot. Joann shielded her eyes against the sun and the dazzling light bouncing from the waves, peering out to the islands in the bay, then raised her head to watch the sky. The bright blue hue slowly darkened to black, and she could see the stars sparkle like her bead project. 

“Thousands of years ago, all our ancestors gazed up to see this sight. At night, the sky would blaze with the stars. A few reached up, standing on tip-toe to touch them, dreaming of what they really were. Now _you're_ here, now _you_ know.” Naomi clasped Joann's hand up to her breast.

Joann tore her eyes away from the sky and looked into her grandmother's eyes, seeing the brilliance of the stars and the warmth of the sun in them. “For all the wondrous things to know and explore up there, it's not quite as good as what –- _who --_ are down here.”

“Damn straight, my girl. Now, if you'll excuse me, your grandpa just walked into your dream over there,” Naomi nodded ahead of them as she started to stride away, swaying her hips as she walked. “Naomi's gonna have some fun!”

Joann could only laugh to herself as she watched her go. “Brain, why are you like this?”

With a last look up into the strange day/night sky, Joann slipped into another dream. She lost it when she woke, but she knew it vaguely involved Tilly, a dancing little yappy dog and some cherries. She pondered it now and again, but the one with Naomi was always with her.

 

Another day, another peaceful moment in the recreation room. Joann tidied up the last threads and smoothed out the completed work, giving Sylvia an inviting nod as she held it up. Tilly traced the outlines of the clusters of glass beads, set amongst the darker opaque ones. The colors brightened lower down the piece to a summer sky blue and grassy green base.

“Centuries ago, we'd look up into the night sky and follow the stars, noting the passage of time. We told each other stories of the stars, and who they were. We made blankets and shawls with these patterns to remind ourselves of those stories,” Joann raised her eyes to the window and the star cluster in the distance. “Now, here we are looking at those same stars.”

Keyla brought some drinks over and placed a hand on Joann's shoulder. “Here's to your grandmother, and all those ancestors we carry in our hearts.”

“Imagine going back in time and showing our forebears all this,” sighed Sylvia. “So much they wouldn't recognize. But also so much they'd know.”

They sat together, the shawl between them and clasped each others' hands under the stars. Each woman sat silently, contemplating their ancestors, wondering what their descendants would encounter, knowing their friendship strengthened the present.


End file.
